Cost of a Ford Cummins conversion?

i have heard alot about these swaps and i would like to do one but what is the cost to do one youself and to have one done at a shop like Bean Diesel or someone like that.....try to be as acurate as posible cuz my guess would be $15-$25k buying the motor and everything but im not one for numbers in stuff like this...any help is great

I asked the same question of fordcummins.com. If they do it 16-20K, your self there engine, shopping the net for the part,& including purchase of the truck I figure 12,000. Reality it will probably 15,000 cuz that's the way it works.

It depends on which engine you're looking to use. A late model 12V will be cheaper because it doesn't depend on the electronics like the newer CR engine does.

Figure $15,000 as a starting point. Once you figure out what you want, it might just be cheaper for you to buy a late model used Dodge instead. Most 2005 and newer are going for around $20k - $24k so unless you've got money to spend I'd look at selling what you've got and use the money for power upgrades instead.

I just purchased everything needed to do the swap for $5800.00 including the engine... 1999 24V ISB remanufactured in 2007 with only 9k miles on it. I decided to use both ford cummins and destroked parts. Destroked parts: adapter plate, flywheel, tach kit and 6.0 starter (Adapter plates are better quality) - Fordcummins parts: PCS controller because their customer service is GREAT!(So, if I need to call them for help I know they will answer the phone.) Engine mounts which are heavy duty as all get out, sensor bushing kit, down pipe and V-band .

I'm just waiting on my TQ converter to arrive, I decided to go with a low stall tripple disc from roadrunner converters because they offer a 2yr warranty and I've heard some good about them.

I was wondering if you did all the work yourself? Where did you get the motor and parts from? I have 99 F250, I am wanting to do the same thing and was wondering how you did it for that price. I am just looking to trade the motor out not the transmission.

Yes, I will be doing all of the work myself. I plan on doing the swap this coming weekend, I don't see it taking more than two days. Also, I plan on using my ford auto trans too so this should be right up your alley!

This is a swap that I've wanted to do for about 3 years! Finally, I had enough pesos set aside to be able to buy everything at once.

About the truck and my reason for doing the swap:The truck is not a grocery getter or a show truck. I'm on my 2nd 7.3 and 2nd transmission and the truck only has 180K on the ticker. It's dented/scratched up, the rhino liner in the bed is worn down to the steel and I tow a lot of weight with it... So, the purpose of this swap is not to have some 1000 HP Cummins show truck by any means. I just want a strong fuel efficient Cummins diesel engine in my f250. I know you can get a lot of hp out of a 12 valve but I chose to go with the 24 valve just because it's a personal preference no real reason. I can always P-pump it later if need be.

I'll go into detail about the parts now- This might get lengthy so bear with me...

I purchased the engine from a reputable seller on eBay, it came out of a 1999 Freightliner that just had the engine replaced but unfortunately (for them ) it was totaled out with only 9K miles on the new engine. I decided to go with the "industrial" style 240hp engine because #1 The valve cover says CUMMINS 24 VALVE in big letters. #2 The throttle control is just like the factory ford... electronic pedal... no cables involved. #3 it comes with the exhaust manifold needed to do the swap. The engine was only $1900, the minute I saw it and found out that it WAS NOT a 53 block I bought it! It came with a 60 day warranty for some peace of mind and it came with an air compressor which I sold for $500, sold the crankshaft adapter for $30 and I also sold the front engine mount for $70. It was nice to recoup some of the cost .

BTW: This is not the 1st Cummins that I bought to do this conversion... About a year ago I was seriously debating on doing the conversion. I was on the lookout for an engine and I found a Cummins 24V with an allison 545 tranny that only had 8300 miles on it for $1500 on Craigslist! I went and checked it out and it was legit, still in the truck (freightliner), odometer read 008375 and it ran great. After I bought it I kind of thought twice about the swap and I chickened out and sold the engine and trans. NOT going to happen this time!

Now, for the stuff I had to buy to make the engine complete for the swap:An oil pan for a dodge application (so the engine can clear the ford frame), pan gasket & rear sump oil pickup tube... $220I purchased an electronic throttle pedal from an f650 that had a Cummins so everything should just bolt right up to the firewall (Got the pedal with the connectors and some wire still on it; so wiring it up to the Cummins should be a breeze)- $75Dodge style PS/Vac pump - $230A used Industrial ECM (3944124) - $200All of the items listed above were purchased off eBay.

If you're keeping track of the cost so far we're up to $5755. Also, I do not plan on using an engine driven fan either. I feel that it robs hp and if you want to use the engine driven fan you have to move the ford transmission/transfer case back and get custom driveshafts made. So, electric fans will be another cost to add to the equation.

Just an update: The truck has been running and driving great for ~1K miles now! All of the gauges work like they should, the electronic throttle pedal is working great, everything has been plumbed / wired up, the electric fan is in place and is working great and I have the transmission shifting right when and where I want it (thanks to the pcs controller). I tried to make the install look as neat and clean as possible. It almost looks like it came from the factory equipped with a cummins, people just can't believe it. It's also entertaining to pull up to a red light next to a ford fella or especially a dodge diesel fella (cause they think it's got a powerstroke... and... you know how the dodge folks are... Any who) and they reach over to turn their stereos off and then continue to roll their window down to hear the engine idling after they noticed the Cummins emblems in place of the powerstroke ones. Lol- I get a kick out of it every time! lol

Also... I almost forgot, I got the freight liner ECM recalibrated at the cummins dealer to 250hp / 660TQ- up from the stock 238hp / 500tq, for a mere 200 bucks! Talk about cheap instant power! Hopefully it will be reliable and last a long time.

As for fuel mileage: Fuel mileage has been great. I've been getting a consistent 19-23 mpg average city/highway- that's hand calculated... That's not too bad if you ask me! With 20" wheels, 35" tires, 4" lift, 3.55 gears, 5" straight pipe (soon to have a muffler though, way too loud right now).

The question that I get a lot is- Was it worth it???... Nah, not really. It's hard to justify spending $6K to complete this swap when you can pick up a used low mileage 7.3 that'll drop right in for a fraction of that. The 7.3 powerstroke is truly a great engine that can take a lot of abuse, hands down! I feel like the 24V Cummins is a good engine but it is completely computer controlled and VP44's are very "fragile" and have a horrible failure history. So, if you're thinking about doing this conversion I'd recommend using a p-pumped engine, whether it's a 24V or 12V, because they are fully mechanically controlled, more reliable, it's easier to troubleshoot and it's a lot easier to make more power with a p-pump. Just my 2 cents.

I do plan on installing a P7100 injection pump in the near future because I want more HP/TQ and to get rid of all of the electronic BS. I've learned that the factory HX35 turbo can only handle a max of 450HP... but, I'd like to be at the 650hp/1200+TQ range... Stay tuned, it's going to get very interesting.

UPDATE--- 2/28/13Well, the VP44 just went out the other day at the worst possible time! I got the dreaded dead pedal!! Ahh b I was in Charlotte NC 125 miles away from home and I was towing a 8K lb tractor!! Talk about a tow bill!

All parts to convert to a P7100 pump have been ordered, including a fully modified P7100 pump rated and dyno'd at 706hp! Hahaha this is going to be great!!